Thill-shifter.



PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904.

J. D. ELLIS.

THILL SHIFTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEBA, 1904 N0 MODEL.

WITNESSES:

I 4 ATORNEY ilnirnn STATES Patented September 13, 1904.

JAMES D.- ELLIS, OF BIGELATS, NEW YORK.

THILL-SHIFTER.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,990, dated September 13, 1904.

Application filed February 4, 1904:. Serial No. 191,955. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it mmoy concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES D. ELLIs, a citizen of the United States, residing in the town of Bigflats, in the county of Chemung and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Shifters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the construction of the adjustable attachment whereby the thills are connected with the running parts of a vehicle and by means of which the thills may be shifted to one side of their central position when it becomes desirable to have the horse travel in a track at one side of the center line of the vehicle, such attachments being used more particularly in connection with sleighs or cutters drawn by one horse to adapt them for different conditions in town and country roads.

The object of my improvements is to provide a simple and effective device of this nature which may be operated by the occupant of the sleigh without getting out of the sleigh and whereby the thills may be set so that the horse may travel in a track coincident with the center line of the vehicle or at one side in line with one of the runners or at any intermediate point between the two said positions.

I attain my object by means of the construction and arrangement of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which is represented in plan view the essential parts of my device.

A A represent portions of the forward runners of a sleigh, to which is attached in any suitable manner a cross-bar B. This bar has projecting forward from it three bearingblocks O, in which is mounted a screw-threaded shaft D, said shaft being held from endwise motion in said blocks by means of collars E E at each end. The shaft is operated by means of a hand-wheel F or other suitable means. In front of the shaft is a bar G, which is mounted upon said shaft by means of eyeblocks H H, which engage the threads on the shaft. The thills I are attached at their rearward ends to this bar G.

In the position shown in full lines the thills are set for the horse to travel in the center line of the sleigh, the eye-blocks being so positioned on the bar G as to engage the shaft at points adjacent to the center and left-hand bearing-blocks C. It will therefore be evident that by turning the shaft to the left by means of the hand-wheel the blocks H may be made to travel to the right and into the extreme position, (indicated by broken lines,) in which position of the thills the horse will travel in line with the right-hand runner. The beaten track, however, may render it desirable to have the.horse travel in a position somewhere between the two positions indicated on the drawing, in which case it will be evident that by means of the screw-shaft the blocks H may be so adjusted as to set the thills at any such desirable intermediate points.

I preferably provide the shaft D with screwthreads of steep pitch in order that the shifting of the thills may be accomplished with as few turns of the hand-wheel as possible. It will also be evident that by reason of the position of the hand-wheel it may be readily grasped and manipulated by the occupant of the sleigh without requiring him to get out of the sleigh. The shaft D and the blocks H form the requisite pivotal connection between the thills and the bar B.

Having thus described my improvements, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A thill shifter comprising a screwthreaded shaft mounted in bearings attached to a vehicle, thills provided with eye-blocks in engagement with the threads on said shaft, and means for turning said shaft.

2. A thill-shifter comprising a bar adapted to be attached to a vehicle, a screw-threaded shaft mounted in bearing-blocks projecting from said bar, thills attached to a bar provided her by means of thethreads on said shaft, and 10 With eye blocks in engagement With the means for turning said shaft. threads on said shaft, and means for turning In testimony whereof I have aflixed my sigsaid shaft. nature in presence of two Witnesses. 5 3. A thill-shifter comprising a stationary member and a movable member. a screW- JAMES ELLIS threaded shaft by Which said members are Witnesses: coupled together, the movable member being A. S. DIVEN,

shifted with relation to the stationary mem- M. E. VERBEOK. 

